Grounded
by Eviefan
Summary: Alex causes trouble at the Museum and is confined to his room, but Jonathan takes pitty and fun insues. Okay not the best discription, but check it out if you will..Review please...


**AN.** _Okay first of all I have not had this beta read, but I will and when I do I will repost the new copy, so if you see mistakes try to ignore them because I'm very aware that my beta skills are much to be asked for. Secondly this is a story that I wrote a very long time ago I think maybe after The **Mummy Returns**. Back then I was not very good at writing, not as polished as I am now and even now I'm not as good as I would like to be. I felt like reposting this and seeing what kind of Feedback I would get. This is a oneshot so no more than this, and if all goes well I will start posting other stories. I have alot of them that I wrote over the years and if you go to my profile there should be a link to my site where all of my stories are as well as others. _

_So with that said here you go...and please review even if you don't leave me a name...Thanks_

* * *

It was a beautiful day outside, a perfect day to practice using the sling shot, or to go see Megan. But Alex couldn't do either of those things. He was grounded to his room for a week, and aside from going to school, it was a prison sentence. On the edge of his bed, Alex sat sulking and thinking about what he had done to get into his predicament.

A few days ago he had been at the Museum, a place he couldn't get enough of. Alex had been told to wait in his mum's office while she attended a meeting but curiosity got the better of him and he left for the Egyptian section. Some new artifacts had been set up there and he had been unable to resist having a peek.

There was a display case with some jewelry of ancient times, which didn't really interest him. Then there were some new Sarcophaguses. Alex looked down into one that was open, and saw a Mummy. Alex, being the curious sort, wondered what a mummy looked like without its wrappings. He looked around him, and finding that the coast was clear, he reached in and took its hand, and began to unwrap it. He got the hand, and the arm, almost completely unwrapped, finding beneath it a corpse that was well preserved. This was just too much fun. So he decided, maybe, he would unwrap the head. He got half way done with that, when his mum's scolding voice nearly scared him to death.

"Alexander Jonathan O'Connell," it was always bad when she used his full name, and Alex gulped. "Just what do you think you are doing here?" He couldn't bear to look up.

"I just wanted to see what it looked like," he said innocently. His mum had not fallen for the puppy dog eyes or the innocent tone and had called his father to take him home.

* * *

A knock at his door brought him back to the present.

"Come in." The door opened but Alex did not look up.

"I heard about what happened," Jonathan said, sympathetically. He came to the bed, and sat beside his nephew.

"I have to stay in my room by myself. You better go or mum will be mad at you too." Alex looked up as his uncle frowned and that made him feel worse. He didn't want his uncle to feel sorry for him, or perhaps he did.

"Not to worry. She and your father have gone out for a drive, so it's just you and me for a bit."

That bit of news brought a smile to the boys face. "Can we have candy?"

Jonathan pulled a bag out from the folds of his jacket, and he and Alex had a few pieces. "Now, seeing as how you have to be in here alone, and I know there are only so many Puzzles you can make, I am going to teach you how to play cards." Jonathan got out a new deck and gave it to Alex.

"The first thing you need to know about cards, is how to shuffle."

While Jonathan talked, Alex took the deck of cards out of the box. He let his uncle have the deck, and watched as he shuffled them. When it was his turn to try, the cards flew out of his hands and scattered across the bed and floor. Alex thought he was going to be in trouble again.

"Don't worry, it takes a great deal of practice to do it just right." It was then that they heard voices coming from downstairs "You practice. I'll see if I can get them to go out again tomorrow night."

After giving Jonathan a hug, Alex hid the cards under his mattress. He got off of his bed, got one of his puzzles and dumped it on the floor. It was one he had worked before, so he got most of the border done before his parents entered the room.

"It's time for bed," Evelyn said as Alex looked up.

"Aww, do I have too."

Rick cut in," Do what your mum says."

Alex sighed and got up. He went into his bathroom and washed his hands, and face, and brushed his teeth. After he got into his pajamas, and was in bed, Evelyn got a story out and sat beside him.

"Goodnight Buddy," Rick said kissing Alex on his nose.

Once he had returned the hug and kiss, Alex leaned against his mum's side ready for a story, but not from a book. "Mum, don't tell me a book story."

"What kind do you want to hear?" she asked after setting the book down.

"How you and dad met." At that, Alex received another hug from her.

"I told you about that last night."

Alex yawned. "I know, but I like it."

She kissed the top of his head and began. As with last night Alex only heard a very small part of how she met his father before he went to sleep and was not aware when she tucked him in before leaving his room.

* * *

The next evening Alex waited, hoping that his uncle had convinced his mum and dad to go out again. Finally he heard footfall just outside his door, and when Jonathan came in, Alex grinned. In his uncle's hands was a plate with two slices of chocolate cake. The two of them sat on the bed shoveling spoon after spoon into their mouths while they laughed, and it was difficult to tell which was the adult, and which was the child.

Once Jonathan had gotten back from returning the dirty plate to the kitchen they resumed the card playing lessons.

"You did very well. Now you want to make sure you shuffle them just so." Jonathan took the deck and showed him the different methods of shuffling cards. "Now, you have to make sure that you cut the cards as well."

That was easier than shuffling. After that, Uncle John taught him the basics of playing Solitaire. Alex watched intently as his Uncle played the game and caught on pretty quickly how it was played. Once that game was finished Alex began one of his own. "Hey this is fun."

"It is. Now we better get you to bed. They were going to the park, and I promised to have you in bed by the time they got back."

Most of the time having to get ready for bed was something Alex hated, but since Jonathan had given him cake and taught him cards, Alex figured it would be best to cooperate. Once he was dressed and tucked in his uncle sat next to him.

"So what would you like to hear about?"

"The time you, and dad, and mum went to Hamunaptra." Alex yawned and closed his eyes not aware that the mention of that place had caused Jonathan to shake.

"That's pretty scary stuff there."

"I know, but I want to hear it" Alex looked up at his uncle. "Please?"

"All right." Jonathan told him some of what went on at Hamunaptra, like the raid of the Med Jai warriors. "There were thousands of them coming at us from everywhere. The noise was defining."

Alex looked at his uncle simply amazed. "Really, that's more than all the people in Bishops Park." Alex said.

"Quite right," replied Jonathan.

"Were you afraid?"

"Never, I took a gun from your father's collection and I defended your mum."

Alex liked that. "Didn't dad protect her?"

"Sure he did. But he had to protect those Americans too, and he left me to protect your mum."

Neither of them were aware that Rick and Evie were standing at the door until Rick said, "Jonathan, what are you filling his head with this time?"

"He was telling me about the…the…the Mad guy?"

"Medjai?" Evelyn asked.

"Yeah them," Alex said. All of the excitement from the story had caused Alex to be hyper and he was too wired to realize that his mum was not pleased.

"Jonathan, we will talk later," Evelyn said.

Jonathan slunk out of the room, with Rick in hot on his tail.

"Did Uncle John really protect you when those guys raided your camp?"

She smiled as she took Jonathan's place by his side, "He helped."

"Mum?"

"What baby?"

Alex yawned "When I'm older will you take me to see Hamunaptra."

For a moment his mum didn't answer, and when she frowned he wondered if that place was scary, like being in his room during a storm was for him.

"Hamunaptra was destroyed, and there is no way to get to it. "Now it is time for you to get some sleep."

With her soft voice telling the story of the Egyptian Princess of long ago Alex suddenly found that he was quite tired and in spite of his best efforts he soon fell into a much needed rest.

* * *

"Teach me another card game." Jonathan chuckled as he brought Alex some licorice. Getting to spend time with Alex alone was rare, and in the back of his mind he knew that he shouldn't be doing this, but he also remembered what it was like to be in trouble and isolated from the rest of the family. For that reason he felt almost justified in what he was doing. "Now, how about a nice game of poker?"

As they played Alex began to ask what sorts of things they could bet on. "Uncle John, are there other ways to play this game?"

Without thinking Jonathan answered, "Sometimes, we adults like to play game of strip poker." Alex made a face.

"You mean you take your cloths off. No way."

Jonathan laughed, "One day you will think differently." They played a few more games, before it was time for Alex to get ready for bed.

"Uncle John? Did mum get mad at you for telling me about Hamunaptra?"

"Yes, but don't worry about her. She and I have been brother and sister a long time, and I know how to handle her when she's mad at me."

"Could you tell me how to handle her?" Jonathan realized what he had said wasn't really a good thing to say around his nephew.

"No. I'm an adult, and I know that sounds unfair, but things are different when you're older. You have to do what she says, and not give her any grief. Do you understand." Jonathan was all serious now, and was relieved when Alex nodded.

"I'll be good." Jonathan gave him a hug and a kiss, before leaving him to fall asleep.

* * *

The week of punishment ended, and Alex was glad. A few nights later, Jonathan was out for the evening. It was a quiet, and Alex was bored. His Mum was working on something for the Museum, like she always did, and dad was the only one not doing anything of major urgency.

"Dad?" When Rick looked at him ready too take a sip of brandy, Alex continued. "Do you want to play poker?"

Rick had taken a drink from his glass, and got choked. It was at that time that Alex realized asking that question had been a bad idea. But then again Uncle John hadn't said they needed to keep this a secret.

"Alex. Where did you learn to play poker?" his father asked perhaps realizing what he and Jonathan had been up too. Afraid of what would happen Alex did the only thing his six year old mind could think of and ran upstairs to his room where he hid under his bed. It wasn't very long before he heard footsteps outside of his door before, "Alex, come out here please"

"I'm not telling," he replied. Loyal to his uncle, Alex would risk further punishment, to keep him from getting yelled at by dad.

"You have until three to come out." Alex knew exactly what would happen after three and scurried out as quickly as he could.

His father lifted him up and set him down on his bed before he knelt in front of him. "I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the truth."

Alex didn't like this, but with dad you didn't mess around.

"Did your uncle teach you to play poker while you were supposed to be up here alone?" Alex looked down and nodded.

"Stay here until I go talk to your mum."

He left and Alex felt terrible. Not only was he in trouble again, but Uncle John was also in for it.

An hour passed and most of another. Alex found it nerve racking having to wait for a punishment sentence, and was afraid Uncle John would hate him for telling. The wait ended when his parents entered the room along with Uncle John.

"Alex, for the next few days, you and Uncle John are going to take educational trips around London," Evelyn said.

"Am I going to be grounded again?"

"Not if you behave and do what your Uncle says, but you do have to stay in here for the rest of the evening," his father answered. Alex decided he could live with that and after they had gone, he hopped of his bed and got out his soldiers setting them up on his floor for battle against the evil bandits of Egypt.


End file.
